Brave
by emily.down
Summary: There's only one person who can climb up the beanstalk with Hook, much to everyone's astonishment. 2x06.
1. The Bracelet

_um, first fic for this fandom. there's something about these two I can't quite explain, so I'll let the fanfic do it for me. I should warn you, I'm not a regular viewer of this show so I might've missed some references. Hope you can overlook that. enjoy:)  
_

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Hook suddenly scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. Something was not right. Emma, ever so alert, picked up on it at once.

"What is it?"

"The bracelet. It's not...working."

"What do you mean it's not working?" Emma snapped, her nostrils flaring. "Is this some sort of trick?"

"I wish. I am just as startled as you are, darling. Here let me try to put it on again," he offered, pulling it off and staring at it for a long time, turning it on each side, before trying it again on her wrist.

But no, the magic just wouldn't come. It remained sealed, so that on her arm, it was just an ordinary, not very becoming bracelet.

Emma groaned in frustration.

"Great. The one thing you were good for and you managed to screw that up too."

"It's not my fault, lass, honestly. Mine's working just fine. I've no idea what's gotten into it."

"So it's got something against _me_ in particular?"

"Ah, surely such a fiery thing like you would bring it to life. No, it must be something else."

Emma pulled it off in frustration. "Let me have yours then. Maybe the other one will work on me."

But to no avail. Neither bracelet would do.

Mary Margaret was growing quite restless, waiting for them to be done, so when she saw that they were still arguing with each other, she approached them warily.

"Everything all right?"

"No," Emma fumed, pointing at the bracelet on her wrist. "This thing is not working. The magic is gone."

Mary Margaret looked just as baffled.

"But how?"

"I don't know yet, but I might find out. Try it on, will you?" Hook asked Mary Margaret. "I wonder if it's just Swan."

She acquiesced, though reluctantly, and slipped the bracelet on her wrist.

Hook cursed under his breath. "It's no good either."

Then, turning to Mulan and Aurora he bellowed:

"All right, ladies, gather around, both of you, and try on the glass slipper!"

"What is he talking about?" Mulan asked, frowning.

"Apparently, the magic in the bracelet is sealed off," Mary Margaret explained despondently. "You might as well try it yourself."

Mulan exposed her hand and pushed the bracelet up her wrist, waiting with bated breath to see what would happen.

Lifeless.

"Well, this thing is pretty useless then," Mulan sniffed annoyed. "But I can still go, I don't need magic to climb up that beanstalk, even if it does have a charm against intruders. What's the worst that could happen?"

"The worst? Well, you could get burnt to death or, better yet, fall down to a _certain_ death. I suppose that's the attraction."

"So what are we going to do now? Trust you to bring the compass back?" Emma asked cynically.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I think the bracelet is working again," Aurora chimed in nervously.

Everyone turned to stare at her in astonishment.

"See?" she said, lifting her wrist, "I tried it on and I think it's fine."

Emma and Mulan's mouths had fallen open. Mary Margaret approached her and took the bracelet from her. But when she pulled it off Aurora's hand and tried it on her own, it was flat once more.

Hook, who had stood back and watched in horror as the frail little Princess had turned into the Cinderella of the story, ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Oh, how marvellous! How bloody marvellous. It's all clear now."

Emma frowned. "How is it clear?"

"Well, obviously, the charm can't fight off the bracelets so instead, only the weakest can wear them. I'm hand-less and Princess here is perfectly _useless_. It's genius, really."

"Hang on," Aurora began, starting to feel offended, " how am I perfectly useless? Isn't this good news? That someone can go up after all?"

"Oh, let's not play this game. We all know anyone else would be better suited for this job, love."

Aurora grew quite red.

"Hey! I may not look much, but I can fight and run if I have to, I'm not weak!"

"Oh, you're a strong girl, are you? Going to climb up the beanstalk with that precious diadem in your hair, are you?" Hook quipped, smirking.

Aurora was now a bright magenta. With a swift movement, she extricated the diadem and threw it on the ground angrily.

"There! Now what do you say?"

"Oh, consider me impressed! I'm sure that was a feat of great agility and prowess!"

"Hook! Stop teasing her, already," Mary Margaret intervened in a motherly fashioned, picking up her headwear. "Aurora is a brave young woman. She's proven this in the past and she's our only hope right now."

Aurora smiled gratefully in her direction. "Thank you. I know I haven't helped much, so this is my chance to change things. I'm going to do my best, I promise. I won't let you down."

Hook rolled his eyes at her little speech.

"It doesn't matter how hard you'll try, we can't let you do it," Mulan intervened upset.

"Why not?" Aurora shot back. "Do I look that fragile to you all?"

Emma winced. "She has a point, Aurora."

"No, she doesn't! You know, it takes a lot of strength to stay asleep for 28 years when you're awake on the inside!"

Hook raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "What's that story about?"

"Look, Aurora, no one is denying your strength, but you have to admit you're not exactly ready to battle a giant."

"And neither are any of you. I mean have you ever fought one?"

"Aurora," Mulan warned her.

"I have no one left in this world, anyway. What's it to me? You three, however... I followed you, I stood by you, the least you could do is have some faith in me."

Hook yawned, feigning disinterest. "This is all very touching, really, but time is of the essence and I'd rather not waste it on the four of you. I'll go up the beanstalk myself, just give me back my hook. I'll bring back the bloody compass on my own, no need for someone to tag along. You can count on that."

"Like hell we will," Emma spat, annoyed.

"I think Aurora should go," Mary Margaret suddenly said. "She should go with him."

Emma and Mulan exchanged surprised looks.

Hook snorted. "I thought we'd already rejected that _brilliant_ option."

Aurora balled her fists and walked up to him, glaring daggers at him.

"She's right. I'm not taking this off my wrist so if you want it back, you'd better start climbing."

Hook raised an eyebrow. Was the little Princess trying to blackmail _him, _the Pirate?

Well, well, well.

"You know you won't last five minutes up there," he replied, smiling maliciously. "You'll be begging to come down in no time."

"Well, then, you've got something to look forward to, don't you?" Aurora retorted, eyes shining.

Hook smirked. So, the little Princess had some bite in her, after all.


	2. Your Highness

_oh wow! I hadn't expected this much love for this tiny little story, thank you! you're all so wonderful, I can't believe it:)  
_

_many thanks to all reviewers for their lovely comments!_

_ hope you enjoy this chapter as well :)  
_

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Hook didn't like this. He didn't like it one bit. Out of all the four brave "ladies" he had come across, the Princess was by far the dullest. She was gullible - she had been the only one who had believed his "tragic story", after all - she was delicate and she was childlike, all attributes he looked down upon. Not to mention, she was ever so miserable all the time. You'd think she was carrying the weight of the whole world on her shoulders.

He had heard mentions here and there of a Wraith, a beloved Prince, murmurs in the night, groans of pain and now Aurora proclaiming loud and clear that she had no family to speak of, no loved ones, that she had slept for many years, asleep but still awake. He sensed something familiar in it. There was a story he could patch up from hearsay, a story not entirely unknown, but now was not the time.

Not when he had the misfortune of climbing up a beanstalk with the very Princess at his side.

Still, there was hope for some amusement, wasn't there? She had some cheek in her, some "bite". All royalty did.

"I see you're not begging to go down yet. No worries, I can wait," he remarked, escalating a thick vine.

Aurora wiped the sweat from her brow, wrinkling her nose. She tried to make her expression fierce, but the softness of her face always betrayed her.

"Why - don't - you - just - give - it - up?" she asked between heavy pants. "I'm - not - going - to - fail."

"Oh, in that case, my fears are allayed. After all, what could be more inspiring than your stammering declaration of valor?"

Aurora shook her head, ignoring his comments.

"You'll want to catch up, Princess. You're far behind."

"Oh, shut up," she muttered, pausing for a moment, one foot suspended in the air, as she drew her breath.

The dress was slowing her down immensely, or rather the large hem drooping over her legs. She wishes she could shorten it somehow.

"Hook - _Pirate_, stop a while, will you?" she called to him.

"Whatever for? Did you break a dainty little finger?"

_I'll break yours if you keep at it, _Aurora thought darkly.

"You'd like that very much, I presume, but no, I only have to mend something."

Hook rolled his eyes and continued climbing, ignoring her current predicament.

Nevertheless, Aurora was not to be defeated. She managed to take out her knife and, holding tightly with one arm to the vine, she locked her legs around another and held out her hem.

To any onlooker, she might have appeared to be on a suicide mission.

Growing bored of climbing by himself, Hook chanced to look down and spotted the Princess in the middle of ripping and cutting a large piece of her dress.

His eyes widened considerably.

"What the devil..." he muttered under his breath, then, louder:

"Did you suddenly think your dress needed improving, your _Highness_?"

Aurora yelped in relief when she finally managed to tear off half of it. It was a very lovely thing, but it would have to go. She probably made a funny sight now; almost as if she were dressed in drags, but then again she was lucky she was wearing her thick stockings so that they would keep her warm.

Smiling nervously because she had never done anything like this before, she put the knife back in her pocket and with renewed determination, started climbing up the beanstalk.

In less than two minutes, she had already advanced considerably and was almost surpassing Hook.

He, on the other hand, appraised her in astonishment and displeasure.

"Well, look who is suddenly as quick as silver - " he began, but he stopped mid sentence when he noticed her apparel.

The little Princess had taken very peculiar and unorthodox liberties with her dress.

He had a vivid and detailed view of her long, slender legs, wrapped in tight stockings, the round curve of her hips and the swelling of her chest, now that the shawl was gone as well.

"Is this a new rule, then? The higher we go, the more we undress?" he teased scornfully. "Well, sorry to disappoint, your Grace, but I won't be doing you the same favour."

"Don't be silly," she replied, rolling her eyes, although a soft blush had crept on her cheeks. "I only did what I had to do. Wouldn't want to be "far behind", as you put it."

"Oh, no, please, you must go first. I insist," he replied, grinning from ear to ear.

Aurora huffed impatiently.

"What has her Highness taken exception with now?" he asked, a playful glint in his eye. "My desire to give royalty its due?"

"Oh that's rich, coming from someone who takes me and my title into constant derision."

"Believe me, Princess, I would only look and admire if you let me to."

She wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"You're so uncouth."

Hook rolled his eyes, thoroughly amused by her reactions.

"Don't flatter yourself too much. I only jest. I have had enough of your kind to know you are not to my liking."

Aurora almost wanted to reach out and slap him, if it were possible to do so.

"Well, neither are you, if you must know. You and your swashbuckling companions don't impress me at all and your chatter is only wasting our time," she replied disdainfully.

Hook raised an eyebrow. The little Princess was mean-spirited, then. She was a little angry too.

He wondered if he could make her snap even further. It should be interesting to test someone so very "pure".

Strangely enough, he was reminded of the Lost Boys and their disenchanted innocence.

_Might as well get on with it_, he thought, sourly, looking up towards the sky. There was still some way to go and Aurora was now edging further away from him and making it her goal to ignore his presence.

How dull she was once more.

Well, she had improved somewhat. At least, no one could say a Princess had ever looked...wilder.


	3. The Tempest

_back with a new chapter! this one's going to deviate from the show completely and you'll see how and why. hope you enjoy the changes though!_

_many, many, many thanks to all the lovely readers and reviewers (thanks to **Melanie**, **Guest** and **Natu** too), I'm happy this ship is still sailing strong :) _

_let me know if you like this new take on their adventures :D_

* * *

The beanstalk was trembling. It was not the soft shiver of leaves, tainted by a human presence, or the shudder of vines, fighting against the burden of two mortals; no, it was something palpable, something deep withing, a stirring of a different nature.

This disturbance worried Hook. He knew giants were not to be toyed with. Their lands held many treasures, but many dark curses too.

Aurora was panting, trying to pull a particularly stubborn vine which had entwined her waist. It was making it harder for her to breathe, not unlike a fashionable corset.

"Blasted thing..." she muttered under her breath, trying to cut it loose with her knife.

Hook looked down and saw her blue-flamed blade clumsily rip through the green ropes around her and he smirked in amusement, but the next moment, his entire mien changed and his face darkened in foreboding.

"What have you done _now_, Princess?"

Aurora held her fingers to her eyes.

"Blood?" she asked, disconcerted.

"Hook! The vine is bleeding!" she yelled at him.

He stared at her grimly. "I'm starting to think it won't be the only thing that'll bleed."

There was a moment of complete silence in which the beanstalk stood perfectly still and Aurora thought the worst might be over, but soon enough, all hell broke loose.

"What's going on?" she yelled, frightened, as the beanstalk started swinging back and forth with a vengeance.

"Why'd you have to start cutting vines?" Hook yelled back.

"I saw _you_ do it an hour ago and nothing happened!"

"It doesn't matter now, does it?" he bellowed angrily. "We're done for!"

Aurora looked down in horror. Would they drop and fall to their deaths? She had climbed so high without letting fear stop her and now all of it would be in vain.

"Hook!"

"Just don't let go of the stalk!"

She nodded her head and held onto it tightly, burying her face in its trunk, trying to hold back the tears.

They were being swayed in so many directions that she was beginning to feel nauseous. And she only wished it to be over quickly. She was not scared of death. Well, not in the way mortals usually are; she had been asleep for so long, how would an eternal sleep really be any different?

Hook did not share her view. He would do just about anything to _survive_. Dying would _not_ prevent his plans. Dying would _not_ stand in the way of his revenge. He would not allow it.

He couldn't.

And sure enough, he spotted an opening in the low clouds. His heart leapt. The top was near. If only the beanstalk would throw them on solid ground...

He looked down at the frightened Princess, but he couldn't hear any whimpers or crying. She wasn't moving either. From his height, she almost looked as if she had fallen asleep standing up.

If he had to ensure her safety too, she would most likely be a burden. Better to let her hang there for a while, at least until he made it to the Giant's lair and brought back the compass.

"Hook! Hook, I think I see the top!" her voice rang suddenly, clear as a bell.

Her red eyes were looking past him at the opening in the clouds, hope and determination lining every feature of her face.

He sighed.

Then again, he supposed he _could_ climb down to her and pull her with him when the time came to jump.

He started to lower himself slowly, making sure not to weaken his hold on the vine and he glided down gently towards her.

"Grab the hook, Your Highness!"

She almost doubled up from the shock. He was standing next to her, one arm casually dangling in the open space between them. The arm and the hook.

Her eyes widened as she surveyed the sharp edge, glinting with a hidden design.

"I promise it won't scratch," he teased, although every muscle in his body was taut.

"I am not grabbing that thing!" she retorted, making to push it away.

"It can hold weight better you silly goose! Now grab it before I change my mind!"

"I don't need your help! I'm sure I can still climb up!" Aurora protested.

"You don't get it, Princess, we need to jump!"

"Jump?! Have you lost your wits?"

"No, but there's a strong chance I will if you don't grab the hook!"

Another powerful jolt shook the beanstalk from root to top. Aurora shut her eyes in terror. She stretched out her hand and laced her fingers around the cold metal. It burned her skin.

She was instantly pulled towards him, close enough for him to cast his arm over her back so that the hook lay ominously across her left shoulders.

"Don't let go of it!" he warned her when she meant to pull her fingers away. "Still got to make sure you jump with me!"

"This is madness! We can't jump! We'll fall to our deaths!"

"There's no other way! Just follow my lead! It will happen very soon!"

"What will?"

But her question was soon answered when a loud crack interrupted them and she watched in horror as the beanstalk split in two. Luckily, they were both together on the same side.

Then there was a sudden powerful gust of wind that separated the two halves and she felt herself slipping away from the trunk, away from the Pirate and his metal hook, back into the oblivion of sleep.

_No! No! I cannot go back!_ her mind yelled angrily.

Quite unannounced, they were abruptly hurled up high above the clouds and for a brief moment, the entire land stretched out before their eyes like a vast, grey ocean.

But they did not manage to get a better look, because they were lowered again, the trunk gathering its last powers before the final collapse.

"We're going to be thrown up again! When I say jump, jump!" Hook yelled in her ear.

She nodded her head vigorously, tightening her grip on his hook.

He didn't have to say it, though. It was hard to miss such a signal. They were hurled up again, stronger than before, much, much stronger and she could see the clouds spinning in a dark circle that swallowed them whole.

"Jump!"

She was already in midair, the cold metal gliding down her fingers, cutting through her skin until she could feel hot liquid gushing out.

Hook was hanging above her and he was trying not to let her go, but this was proving increasingly hard without a solid ground beneath their feet.

At long last, the clouds dissipated and Hook realized they were actually heading towards a dark mass, an intricate labyrinth.

Aurora noticed they were falling down, drawn by a strong gravitational force, only when the branches started tearing into her dress.

The thick, lush canopies eased their fall and made it impossible for them to slip through the trees' foliage.

In fact, the leaves themselves were so large that Aurora was sure one would be enough to cover the roof of a small house.

Gigantic trees. _Of course_, the land of giants.

They landed with a thud. She, next to him, her bloodied fingers finally letting go of his hook.

He blinked his eyes open and stared up at the stormy sky.

Aurora was moaning in pain, trying to stand up.

"Are we alive?" she asked groggily.

He chuckled, releasing a breath he did not know he had been holding.

"Barely."

"Where are we?" she asked, taking a few light steps across the giant leaves. She winced slightly. Her body ached and her left hand was bleeding.

"Far away from where we're supposed to be," Hook replied, standing up himself.

He was looking at something in the horizon.

Aurora followed his gaze and gasped.

Far, _far_ off in the distance she could make out the roof of a tall house, standing proudly against the sky.

"Is that...?"

"That it is, Princess. There dwells the foul Giant we seek to plunder."

"But how are we ever going to get there? It looks so far away."

Hook's jaw clenched tightly. "Chances are we won't. But we have to."

Aurora wiped her brow in exhaustion. "Even if we do get down from this tree and even if by some miracle we reach that house, it will take too much time. Mulan and Emma -"

Hook turned towards her and laughed a cold laugh.

"Oh, little Princess, you know little of worlds high above the ground, don't you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"We've crossed into another realm. Time here is...different. Can't you sense it?"

"No, I'm a little preoccupied at the moment, if you hadn't noticed, what with facing possible death!"

He rolled his eyes in annoyance. Her condescending streak was coming back with a vengeance and he groaned inwardly at the realization that the fates had chosen this particularly daft and infuriating creature as his partner in misery. Of course, the full extent of his misfortune would only dawn on him later.

"Safe to say, we'll have enough time on our hands to scour these woodland parts. A fortnight here may be a minute in our world."

Aurora turned as white as a sheet.

"No. No, you can't mean - we could be stuck here _forever_?"

He chuckled grimly.

"Oh no, _Princess_. We won't live long enough for that to happen."


	4. A Pirate's Temper

_Happy Christmas everyone!  
_

_'tis the season, so my Christmas gift to you - at least I hope it's a gift - is a new chapter replete with Hook and Aurora banter, arguments, adventures, perils and other such treats :)_

_many, many thanks to all readers and reviewers for dropping by :)  
_

_to the anonymous reviewer (**Guest**) - thank you for the lovely review! I'm glad you like the changes, but it won't be just a fortnight. Hook mentioned that a minute in their world might equal a fortnight in this land, not that they'd only be there that long. Don't worry, that's good news for our couple in the long run :D_

_right, unto the chapter!  
_

_Enjoy and leave a comment:)  
_

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Hook slunk back his telescope with a sigh after what felt like ages of carefully inspecting the grounds above and below. Safe to say, the forest went on for quite a bit.

"Well, at least we were lucky enough to see the big picture..." he drawled, gesturing towards the vast greenness in front of him.

But Aurora wasn't looking in his direction or even listening to him. She had her head on her knees, face buried in the folds of her dress. She wasn't crying. No, she couldn't even manage that. She was just sitting there, still and quiet, her mind a complete blank. She had tried and failed to cope with the unexpected turn of events. So now she was left with...not coping, not reacting.

Just sitting and breathing and keeping her eyes shut.

Hook stared at her perplexed. He hadn't thought his words would have such a big impact on her.

_"We won't live long enough for that to happen."_

He sighed once more, rolling his eyes.

"Come now, Princess, let's at least be grateful we landed on our feet. We could have been dropped to our deaths."

Aurora's shoulders stiffened slightly, but there was no other response from her.

Hook frowned. "I admit I might've been a tad overly _dramatic_. It's not all that bad."

Nothing.

"Is this what you do when you run into trouble? Hide your head in your skirts?" he asked, growing impatient.

Aurora lifted her head slightly, but only slightly, her eyes glaring at him from underneath slightly wet lashes.

"Good Heavens, are you _crying_ now?"

No, she wasn't. She was actually trying to hold back the tears. But it was proving a bit hard now that he'd started taunting her.

"I thought you didn't care about dying and misfortune and whatnot. I thought you had no one left in the world. That's what you keep telling everyone."

That seemed to strike a chord.

He wasn't on his guard so the sudden shove pushed him off balance and almost made him fall.

The Princess had leapt up from her spot with the ferocity of a cat and had attacked him, eyes blazing and cheeks red.

While Hook was still trying to understand what had happened, she took advantage of his confusion and shoved him again, this time making collapse on his knees.

Her hand was ready to slap his cheek, but at the last moment, his reflexes kicked back in and he caught her wrist in a tight grip.

"Aah!" she shrieked as he twisted her hand until she was almost kneeling beside him. It was the same hand that had been cut by the blade of his hook.

There was a strange glint in his eyes now. Almost metallic.

"Don't ever attempt that again," he spoke quietly, staring her down. She was panting angrily, trying to pull her hand away but his hold was not exactly light.

"Why shouldn't I?" she finally spoke, her voice raw.

"Because a Pirate's temper is a very nasty thing, _Princess_."

His hook suddenly found its way to her neck, trailing her own fresh blood down its length.

He smiled sinisterly as he noticed the red liquid on the blade.

How ironic.

"I'm not afraid of you," she replied, jutting her chin out in what she hoped was a convincing gesture.

"Then why are you shaking?"

"It's - it's a bit cold."

Hook chuckled, despite himself. She had an odd sense of courage.

"Is it now? Well, yes, dusk will soon be upon us. And a little draught will be the last of your worries then, your Highness."

"You're not going to intimidate me," she stated firmly, although she kept tugging at his fingers which were clenched around her wrist.

"Already have, sweetheart."

"Don't be so sure."

Aurora's other hand came out of nowhere and her nails dug into his face, causing a nasty scratch right below his left eye.

His grip weakened as he gasped at the unexpected violence of her attack.

Aurora seized the opportunity and pulled herself from him, stumbling back on the leaf.

She turned around and started running towards the other end. There was very little space between the leaves and if she gathered enough speed she could jump and land relatively safe on the other side.

"You little vixen!" Hook roared, wiping the small droplets of blood gushing out of the small cut.

Aurora didn't need to hear his furious voice to tell that he would chase her down and punish her for what she'd done, so she ran for it with all her might and, closing her eyes, jumped on the adjoining leaf.

For half a moment she felt her feet dangling in the air without any support, but then the mattress-like texture of the leaf was underneath her soles again and she let out a breath of relief.

"Oh, you think you can escape me? Let's see you try," Hook drawled, smirking viciously as he took a step towards the edge of the leaf, ready to jump himself.

Aurora gulped and grasped the hem of her dress tightly.

_Run like you've never run before._

And that she did.

She bolted straight towards the next leaf and the next with the agility of a rabbit. She was light on her feet and did not have many things weighing her down, unlike Hook, who had stacked various objects and weapons on him for the journey.

He cursed under his breath.

The girl was slightly faster than he thought she would be.

Where _had_ she learned to run like that? Hadn't she been asleep for the last twenty years or so? How could she move so quickly?

Aurora's heart was in her throat.

Despite the obvious predicament, she had never felt more alive. The rush and thrill of movement pulsed in her veins. She was _moving_. And that meant the world to her. She was not static, she was not lying down, she was not sleeping anymore.

What Hook could not understand was that someone like her, someone who had been stuck in the same dead numbness for so long, someone who had yearned for life to come back to her with such intensity, did not need to learn how to run or be particularly good at it.

The desperation of all those years of immobility fueled her. It was a force now. A force to be reckoned with.

She would not stop. She would _never_ stop.

There was no obstacle in visible sight. Her legs were freed from her dress which she had trimmed on her way up the beanstalk, her headdress had been disposed of too. She could almost say she had given up on who she was.

Her skin was cold and wet with sweat, glistening in the cold light of dusk.

These were all new and wonderful sensations to her, sensations she had never thought she would feel.

There were small tears, frozen into white pearls, at the corner of her eyes. But this time, she was crying out of joy.

She realized she was running west, because she was chasing down the sun, following its last rays to extinction.

Her figure glowed amber as she pierced through the soft mist that was rising from the trees.

Hook watched her transfixed, stopping to catch his breath.

For a moment, it looked as if she would spread her wings and fly away.

But no. No, those weren't _her_ wings.

A tall, black creature suddenly covered the sky and brushed its wings over them, encasing them in a dark globe.

Hook gasped at the sheer size of the bird. Giants' land indeed.

But he had more pressing matters at hand. Namely that he couldn't see Aurora anymore.

He bent down, wiping the sweat from his brow and pushed through the thick feathers.

"Princess!"

He only heard the flutter and rasp of feathers on leaves. Then there was a loud and morbid caw which shook his very bones.

"Princess!"

He thought he heard a muffled scream, but he couldn't discern any other figure in his vicinity.

"_Aurora!_" he yelled, finally.

Her name had such a strange cadence. It reminded him of the fairies - no, not the time, not the time for this, he reminded himself angrily.

He took out one of his knives and catching a feather with his hook, brought down the blade on it.

The bird did not seem to notice. In fact, her claws encircled one of the branches and her red beak started knocking against the wood.

Hook groaned. Obviously, he needed to pin more than one feather down.

But then, as he looked up, he realized what needed to be done.

Taking out the knife from the feather, he wrapped it in a large cloth he kept around his chest and twisting it into a knot, he threw it as hard as he could towards what he believed was the bird's breast.

It did not sink in the first time, but when he threw it again, the knife plunged into the blackness above and the cloth unfolded itself until Hook could reach it with his fingers.

Steadying his legs, he started pulling at the cloth with all his might in the opposite direction, trying to move the knife so that it would cut further down the flesh.

A sudden piercing howl made him freeze in his step. He had never heard such a mournful sound before. It was as if someone were crying out their very soul. The bird was finally starting to feel the wound. His hands ceased their movement, stilled by that sorrowful music.

"Hook! Hook where are you?"

Her voice, coming from somewhere below, snapped him from his trance.

"Aurora!"

"I'm down here!" she yelled back.

The sudden knowledge that she was alive gave him new strength.

"Down where?"

The bird's dreadful cawing rang in his ears like a siren's song. He needed to silence the creature.

One wing suddenly lifted from the leaves, tapping violently against the branch, as if the tree had inflicted the injury.

The blue light of evening revealed to him what he had been looking for; the Princess was currently dangling from the bird's claws.

"Now how did you manage that, sweetheart?" Hook bellowed, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't just stand there! Help me!"

"What for? So you'd attack me and run off again?"

"Well, you acted like a miscreant!" Aurora yelled, trying in vain to lift herself atop the bird's claws.

"Is this how you should be talking to your only saviour?"

Aurora would have liked to kill him, but she was currently stranded.

"Please! Do something!"

The thick, heavy branch was close at hand but if she tried to jump, she would surely meet her doom.

Hook walked up to the leaf's edge, smirking.

"You almost took my eye out," he said, pointing at the small cut under his eye.

"And you nearly cut through my fingers with that horrid hook of yours! Aren't we even?"

Hook frowned. "Even? Now that's a strange notion for a Pirate."

"Hook!"

"If you want me to believe you, you'd better show me, Princess."

Aurora glared daggers at him. He knew very well she could not lift her hand, but he persisted in his vagaries.

"You are a foul, base and unworthy-"

"Now listen carefully, little _girl_," he interrupted her, his expression darkening considerably, "if you do wish to survive this place and find a way back home you'd better do as I say and not provoke me any further. The truth of the matter is, you need me. I'm the only thing preventing you from a certain death. And I could very well let you rot here, if I so wished. Keeping me happy should be your priority, shouldn't it?"

Aurora's large bright eyes widened in shock at the calculated coldness of his speech. She wanted to protest. She wanted to spit the words back into his face. But she also wanted to live. And he _was_ a Pirate. You couldn't exactly negotiate with a Pirate. Even _she_ knew that.

"Well?" he demanded sternly.

"Yes. Yes it - it should be," she muttered at length, refusing to meet his searching eyes.

"Sorry, couldn't hear that Princess. Better speak up."

"Yes, Capt Hook, it should - it should be my priority to keep you happy," she spat reluctantly.

"And do as I say?"

Aurora gritted her teeth.

"And do as you say."

Hook grinned.

"Excellent. But enough about me. Don't you require my help?" he asked innocently.

She barely refrained herself from replying with some very unladylike remarks.

Hook lowered himself until his good hand could grasp her forearm and she quickly threw her hands around his neck, pushing her feet up.

"All right, all right don't - don't smother me," he said in a muffled voice, trying to extricate himself from her. She had almost climbed up on him.

When she found herself on solid ground again - well, as solid as any leaf could be - she exhaled deeply and sat down, wiping the sweat from her brow.

Suddenly, a warm drop landed on her forehead. Then another and another.

_Blood._

She looked up in confusion.

She almost wished she hadn't.

Aurora quickly pressed a hand to her mouth to stop the nausea that threatened to overtake her.

"Settle down, Princess. It's just a knife," Hook muttered under his breath, pulling at the cloth again.

"No! Stop it!" she suddenly shrieked. "You're hurting her!"

"Oh, and here I thought I was only tickling her! What else do you have in mind your Highness?"

"But that is monstrous! She's not to blame for our misfortune!"

"So you'd prefer it if she suddenly took you for a worm? Eat or get eaten, Princess."

"But how can you -"

"Easy. I'm not going to let a bird, of all things, get in my way."

"There has to be another way!" Aurora snapped, walking up to him.

"What did I say about not provoking me?"

"She did nothing to us!"

"Yet."

"Why are you doing this? Why can't we just let her be and find a way to climb down this tree instead?"

Hook scrunched his eyebrows, struck by an unexpected flash of inspiration.

"That gives me an idea."

* * *

Fastening the cloth around his waist, Hook decided to see how much weight the knife could carry by itself.

"That's just barbaric!" Aurora exclaimed in horror. "You're downright torturing her!"

Ignoring her comments, he pushed himself off and swung back and forth a couple of times, holding onto the cloth tightly. After a while, his feet left the ground and he was lifted up into the air.

Aurora watched in amazement.

It seemed to be able to hold him fine.

"How on Earth does it-"

"Neverland magic," he said with obvious pride in his voice.

"Wh-what?"

But she didn't have time to ask what or _where_ that was. She didn't have much time to do anything really, because the bird started flapping her wings and the claws untwisted themselves from the branch.

She was going to take flight.

"Come on! Quickly!" Hook urged her, as he kept swinging in the air.

_Oh no, not again._ _Please not again._

She would have to grab onto his hook again, because his other hand was holding onto the cloth.

She steeled herself and leapt up into his arms once more.

The familiar blade cut into her other palm, almost welcoming the touch.

Her hands quickly circled his neck as the hook entwined one of her legs.

The bird lifted herself into the air.

"Hook!"

"Princess!"

"We are going to-"

"No, we're not!"

"How can you be so confident?" she yelped.

"Neverland magic never fails!" he bellowed into her hair.

Her head was poised on his shoulder. The sensation of imponderability was awful, to say the least. She was getting dizzy.

"Breathe, your Highness. Breathe."

She inhaled deeply. She smelt salt, tincture, ashwood, tobacco and blood, all mingled into one maddening scent that never seemed to leave him.

Aurora looked over his shoulder and down into the depths of the forest. She almost screamed.

Hook smirked, making a mental note: _Princesses hate flying_.


	5. Trav and Ian

_wow, I last updated on Christmas. And it's summer now. Two whole seasons have passed. Quite a hiatus. In my defence, I had to rewrite my thesis paper. It doesn't sound bad, but rewriting more than 80 pages of material is...not as pretty as I hoped it would._

_I hope you haven't given up on this story. I do intend to write more._

_I'd also like to thank all of you who've reviewed and read so far, for being so supportive and just lovely:_

_**starryeyedgeek**: yeah, I know, I felt bad about it too, but the bird is a necessary plot contrivance, you'll see!_

_**CrazyBitchair**: thank you, there'll be more angst soon :)_

_**Black Heart**: guess I kind of made you wait, sorry:(_

_**Guest**: thank you! glad Aurora doesn't seem like a damsel, she's pretty great in this chapter too, I'd say._

_**Bubbles of Colours**: thank you, Hook's pretty bad, I agree :D_

_**SmurfsTasteGoodOnToast**: I agree with you, Aurora is pretty damn strong, but I wrote that moment in because she's also very human and vulnerable and her bravery comes from overcoming her fears. I wanted to show how afraid she was to be out of her comfort zone and how she slowly coped with it. I'm glad you liked the last line, haha :) Sorry for updating so late._

_**pinkcrazyness**: thanks, sorry about updating so late :(  
_

_**can't think**: I liked that part too :) well, the bird's magical, you'll see in this chapter :)_

_**nochance**: haha, thanks, I wish they'd done something with Aurora and Hook. I'm not a big fan of this contrived chemistry between Emma and Hook._

_**bekyg620**: awww, thank you :) I've skimmed some other Aurora/Hook stories and you're definitely right._

_**Anna Walker**: thanks! sorry for the long wait :(_

_**Dreamscometrue95**: thank you :) Aurora is pretty badass too, you'll see :)_

_**Pace1818**: thanks for reviewing all chapters, really nice of you :) I'm glad you liked the running moment, it was a pleasure to write :)_

_**ChasingYou**: thank you, really flattered and glad you're fond of the idea :)_

_**gigi**: thank you, yes, I'm continuing, sorry for making you wait so long._

_I hope I haven't forgotten anyone. Thanks again for being here.  
_

_ I hope you like the new chapter and don't forget to tell me what you think!_

_P.S. It might help if you reread the previous chapter, just for reference. Some things will make more sense. _

* * *

The land unfolding before them was like nothing they had seen before and Hook had traveled many realms in his time.

He'd only read about giants, really. He'd heard about some, he'd even met a half-giant in a tavern once. Well, you couldn't be sure. Many fellows liked to pretend they were half-giant. The title came with a sort of reverence. Giant blood was old and powerful magic.

They were carried over large canopies, spreading like green oceans underneath a dark globe of sparkling suns. Even the stars were huge. It hurt Aurora's eyes to look up. Not that she could do that very well as her head was leaning on Hook's shoulder.

Up ahead they could see giant cliffs rising from the trees. The forest became thinner. The tall grass was replaced by stones, lime and mud.

"Look!" Aurora shouted.

A huge silver snake was sprawled across the expanse of rocks. Only, it wasn't a snake.

"Water?"

It was a river the size of a town. And it spilled down the cliffs into a dark void. Steam rolled up into the sky.

"Worse, waterfall," Hook replied, his mouth set in a hard line.

He knew the bird's magic was fading. He felt the way its wings were getting weaker as they got lower and lower. It would soon die. They'd have to land somewhere, preferably not in the water.

Aurora seemed to notice the same thing.

"Why are we going down?!"

Hook sighed. "Why do you think?"

"I knew it! I knew I shouldn't have trusted your awful plan! You've killed a poor creature for nothing! And we're going to die soon, too!"

"Aaargh! Would you stop screaming in my ear? I'll go deaf!"

"Serves you right for being cruel!"

"If you didn't notice, _I_ got us out of that mess!"

"What mess? The one _you_ made?"

"How is this _my_ fault?" he bellowed angrily.

"We should have stayed on the leaves!"

"What, and rot there for all eternity? No thank you, Princess. If I'm going to die, I'm not doing it on a stupid leaf."

"No, now you'll die when we drown in that waterfall!"

"Oh, to think you'll be by my side," he replied dryly.

"Can't you steer the bird away from the river?"

He threw her a look. "It's not a ship, Princess. It doesn't work that way."

"Use your Neverland magic then, since you're so fond of it," she taunted, glaring.

Hook slid the hook he'd been holding over her leg and let her feet dangle.

She yelped, pulling him closer. He smirked.

"You did that on purpose!"

"What did I say about shouting in my ear?"

"Then do what I tell you!"

"You really _are_ a Princess, aren't you?"

Hook would have grumbled some more, but they were running out of time, which was obvious by their slow, but certain descent.

He twisted the cloth around his hand tighter and pulled, swinging Aurora and him to the right.

The bird shrieked in pain. Aurora shut her eyes tight. She hated the sound.

Its wings were beating wildly, as if it was trapped midair.

Hook was panting from the effort, but he tried again, pulling the cloth to his left this time, swinging them back and forth like a clock's pendulum.

The bird's howls increased.

"Stop! You're only hurting it more!" she shouted, eyes still closed.

"You were the one who said –"

"I know, but I can't stand it!"

"Princess, open your eyes!"

Aurora only buried her head further into his neck as the bird gave another piercing cry.

"Princess. Open your eyes," Hook repeated, his voice gentler. Her hair tickled his nose. She even smelled like a Princess.

Her head rose timidly and her eyelids fluttered open.

He was tempted to smile. Shame such pretty eyes belonged to such a tedious girl.

"Look down."

She did. Her eyes lit up with hope.

"Is that a –"

"I think so."

The bird had steered left after Hook's painful ministrations and they could now make out the outline of a beautiful wooden boat floating further up the river.

It was as big as a house and it was painted blue and white, with small black flowers dotting the hull and the sails. The colors shone even in the approaching darkness of the night.

"Must be their banner," Hook muttered, looking over the boat with an expert's eye.

"Do you think we could –"

"We might. We've got one shot. But you're not going to like it, Princess."

Aurora understood. They'd have to pull down on their weight which would only hurt the poor bird more.

But it was either that or death.

Aurora set her jaw and locked her arms around his neck.

"I thought this was about making _you_ happy," she said, throwing his own words back in his face.

Hook raised an eyebrow in surprise. He wanted to reply, but he found the retort died on his lips. He'd find a comeback later.

Aurora didn't shut her eyes when the bird started howling again, as Hook wrenched the cloth towards him. The bird was already falling. Hook's tugging only made it easier.

The descent was faster now and Aurora feared they'd crash on the deck and die. There were many ways to die in giant land, she realized.

They were close now. She couldn't see anyone on deck. She wondered if this was an abandoned boat. It made sense at this time of night.

"Hang on. It's going to be a rough landing, sweetheart."

Aurora took a deep breath and prepared for the worst.

The worst would come another day. The bird hit the sails and rolled down the canvas.

"Jump! Now!"

They held onto each other and Hook let go of the cloth as the bird dropped down on the deck with a soft thud.

They were dangling from a loop in the canvas. To an outsider's eye, it looked as if they were lying in a hammock. Aurora was holding him around the waist now.

Hook let out a breath in relief.

"Still alive, Princess?"

She nodded her head and sat on her elbow, putting some distance between them.

"Do you think it's empty?" she asked, pointing at the boat.

Just then, they heard steps coming from below.

"And that answers your question."

She could have sworn she saw him smirk.

A booming voice rang across the deck. It was shrill and giddy.

"Ian! Come look at this!"

"What is it now, Trav?"

The second voice was calm and gentle. Still quite loud, but with a weight to it that told Aurora the other man was older and probably wiser.

"One of the Old Ones! A blackbird!"

"There's nothing special about that – wait, this can't be right," the man called Ian said.

From where they stood, Aurora and Hook could see them bending down to inspect the fallen bird.

"A dab of blue on the beak, that's what the song says, doesn't it, Ian?"

Ian stood in silence for a moment. "It does."

"I knew I remembered it right," Trav bragged.

"This is not good," Ian said, his voice mounrful. "This was a sacred creature. Something sacred was killed."

Aurora shot Hook a glare.

"You murdered a sacred bird!" she whispered, jabbing him in the chest with her finger.

"Oh, well now that I know it was sacred," he replied, rolling his eyes.

"What's that, there?" Trav asked.

"A knife."

"Looks more like a needle."

"Trav, a sacred blackbird is lying dead in our boat."

"What are you saying, Ian?"

"I'm saying either we find who did this, or the Council will assume we did it ourselves."

"But that's - that's not fair!"

"Few things are."

"Will they be able to trace it so far away from the city?" Trav asked fearfully.

"The poor creature has probably let them know in her own tongue."

Trav drew away from the bird.

"Ian, they're not going to punish us, are they? We did nothing wrong!"

"Hm. They won't see it like that."

Aurora held her breath. There were so many new notions swimming in her head: sacred blackbirds, the Council, Ian, Trav… Uppermost was the knowledge that they – no, _the_ _Pirate_ – had already committed a crime for which these poor, innocent giants would be punished instead. Not that she wished to be punished, but it did not make her feel any less worse that someone would suffer on account of their – _Hook's_ – actions.

"Can't we do something?" she whispered into Hook's ear.

"Be my guest, your Highness. Reveal yourself to them and see how friendly they are."

Aurora chewed on her lip.

"What if we tried and talked to them and told them it was an accident? We could explain how it happened. We could tell them where we come from."

"You've been asleep for too long, Princess. You don't know how the world works."

Aurora huffed. "And you would, wouldn't you? Your solution is to use your weapons instead of your words."

"Aye. Weapons have never failed me. Words, on the other hand…"

"Typical for a Pirate."

"Why do you carry that knife with you then, Princess? Don't tell me it was just so you could trim your dress."

Aurora faltered. "I don't use it to harm others."

"No, but you would if it came to that."

"Of course not!"

"You'd have done the same thing I did. Only my aim is better. Admit it."

"I don't have to answer to you!" she whispered furiously. "_You_'re the one who decided killing the poor thing was the only option."

"But it was!" he interjected.

"And therefore," she continued haughtily, "_you_ should be the one taking responsibility."

Hook threw her a black look. "Enough about this stupid business! I did what I had to do! I'll hear no more complaining out of you!"

His temper had gotten the better of him and he was no longer whispering.

And, unfortunately for him, Ian was gifted with soft hearing.

"Silence, Trav. I think I hear something."

Aurora almost wanted to slap him. She jabbed her finger in his chest again, but Hook placed a palm over her mouth and shook his head.

They both sat very still, waiting.

"The Council?" Trav wailed, looking up at the sky in dread. "Are they coming?"

"No, you nitwit. No, I heard a voice. Sounded like a rat. Coming from…somewhere down here."

Aurora saw a large knee protruding over the canvas.

"You sure it wasn't the wind?" Trav asked, more and more anxious about the situation.

"Does the wind speak?" Ian asked, chuckling.

"Might around these parts."

Aurora felt the canvas shaking. She raised her eyes and saw that Ian was touching it with his fingers.

"Ian, we have to hide this thing, we can't leave it out in the open!" Trav was saying from behind him.

Ian turned towards the giant. "Hiding it would make it worse."

He took a few steps back and for a moment, the Pirate and the Princess thought it might be safe to breathe again.

A latch on Ian's boots caught onto their makeshift hideout and threw them out in the open.

"Ian, large bugs behind you! The Council's sent them!"

The older giant looked down at the "large bugs" who were currently trying to run for their lives.

They slipped a couple of times because the canvas was not a very stable surface.

"These aren't bugs. Got no wings. And look, hands and feet like ours. No, these two are Halflings."

"Halflings? In Giygas? Are you mad? There are no Halflings in –"

"Take a look here."

Ian bent over and gently picked up the "large bugs", holding them up for his friend to see.

Aurora screamed from the top of her lungs and thrashed wildly. She was held up in midair by her hair. Tears were smarting in her eyes. Hook hissed in pain. The giant was holding him by his hook.

"They're even larger than bugs! And they make sounds!" Trav yelped.

"Told you it was Halflings."

"What are they saying?"

"Please, let us go! You're hurting us!" Aurora was shouting desperately.

"The Halflings can speak our tongue!" Trav exclaimed, smiling.

"Of course I can!" Aurora's voice bellowed, more forcefully this time. "And I'm not a Halfling. I'm a Princess!"

Ian's eyebrow rose. "Princess?"

"What does that mean, Ian?" Trav asked impatiently.

"Noble blood."

"That's right!" Aurora said, pointing a finger at Trav warningly. "Noble blood! And I rule over a land full of riches and wealth! I can repay your kindness, _if _you choose to be kind."

Ian and Trav seemed to debate the matter.

"How rich?"

"There are gems and precious stones on the bottom of our waters. And gold in our mountains!"

"Giygas doesn't have gold," Trav admitted, casting his eyes down.

"Not for us, it doesn't," Ian muttered.

"I see you are far away from home!" Aurora shouted again, hoping she might persuade them, after all. "You must be tired of sailing this river at night!"

Ian frowned. "How do _you_ know that?"

"A Princess knows. She knows people."

She could feel Hook's eyes on her. He was watching her, stupefied.

_She's either very brave, or very stupid_, he mused.

"We aren't people," Trav sniffed proudly.

"Giants are people too, surely!" she huffed. "You have feelings and thoughts and dreams! You get hungry and cold. Sad and happy. You have children and families. Whoever told you, you aren't people was very wrong!"

Trav seemed to consider the idea.

"Are we like that, Ian?"

Ian smiled. "I'm not sure. I know giants who are, though. All right, little lady, here you go."

He set her down gently on the deck.

Aurora could have knelt and kissed his boot. She was so happy to be back on solid ground.

And she noticed for the first time that the two weren't as large as she'd imagined. The tip of her head almost reached Ian's knees. The giant was dressed in a white shirt and black breeches. His hairy feet looked like two little beasts. Trav was even shorter, but stouter. He sported red hair and a small red beard. He was dressed in a large blue robe. Aurora had to hide a chuckle. It looked like a nightdress.

"What about him?" Ian pointed at Hook, who was still dangling from his hook.

Hook was about to open his mouth, no doubt to brag about being a fearsome Pirate and having a fast ship, Aurora imagined.

"He's – he's my royal escort!" she shouted.

"Royal what?" Trav asked, confused.

"He's a Knight," Aurora explained. "He's here to…to protect me."

Hook would have snorted if his life wasn't on the line.

"So he's not noble blood? He's a servant?" Ian asked, shaking the Pirate, amused.

"He is an honorable Knight!" Aurora protested. "And spilling _any_ blood, not just noble, is just as bad as killing a sacred bird!"

Both Trav and Ian's eyes rounded on her.

"What would you know about The Old One?"

Hook winced. She'd gone and done it this time.

Aurora stood her ground, jutting her chin forward.

"A Princess knows," she repeated enigmatically. She hoped this argument wouldn't lose power if she said it more than once.

Trav seemed more frightened of _her_ now, than the Council.

"How does she know, Ian? Is she a Witch-Princess?"

Ian set down the Pirate next to her. He collapsed with a thud and groaned.

Aurora bent down to help him.

"Are you all right?"

"Splendid," he muttered, falling on his back.

She touched his chest gingerly.

"Does it hurt?"

"Yes," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"_Good_. That should teach you a lesson."

His eyes popped open. She was staring down at him rather smugly. He wondered what sort of Princess she was, after all.

"We're sorry for the ill treatment, Princess," Ian said.

Aurora bowed graciously. "There was no ill treatment."

She turned towards Hook, victorious. "Words over weapons, don't you think?"

The Pirate rolled his eyes. She'd gotten lucky, that was all.

"But I'm afraid Trav and I are going to have to take you to the Council now."

Aurora's smile froze. "Pardon?"

"Well, you see, Princess or no Princess, killing an Old One is still a very serious crime. And we're not going to take the fall for it."

Trav looked just as surprised as she did.

"Oh, Ian! We're not? Oh, that's wonderful! I knew it was them! I knew the Witch-Princess did it!"

"B-But we didn't, we didn't mean to, it was an accident –" she sputtered, wringing her hands.

Hook smirked. "Words over weapons, eh?"

"Don't worry, Princess. You can have your Knight die for you instead. Council doesn't care for Halflings," Ian said in what was meant to be a comforting voice.

"_What?!_" Hook spat, looking scandalized.

"Well, she's a Princess. You're just a Halfling."

Hook was seething. Aurora placed a hand on his chest.

"He's not – he's under royal protection! You can't do that!"

"Council will do it, not me. Trav, get these two settled in somewhere. Make sure they don't escape. It's a long journey back to Fang."


End file.
